Charlie O'Brien blog: Weaning my way

When I was a first-time mum with Noah, my now 3-year- old, I was naturally much more
impressionable.

I attended a course about weaning when Noah was about 4 months old and lapped up the
information, which mostly told me that spoons and purées were OUT and finger foods and
no cutlery – IN.

So I armed myself with high chairs, bibs, a shower curtain for the kitchen floor and a book
about baby led weaning. I spent hours baking fancy vegetable muffins that he never once
ate!

The thinking behind baby led weaning is that by 6 months babies are ready to grab food and
pick and choose what they like. It’s often claimed that it leads to less fussy eating
behaviours in children.

What’s not to love? I really like the thinking behind just giving your baby bits of what you’re
eating and teaching them about ‘real food’.

But I’m doing the opposite …..

Apart from the odd purée, I pretty much did baby led weaning with Noah and he’s the
fussiest eater known to man. And I can’t help but wonder if it’s my fault.

I think perhaps food went on the floor more than in his mouth, meaning he didn’t get all those first tastes that are vital in their first year.

So Luna has hit 6 months old and we’re going down the old fashioned spoon and purées
route, at least to start with.

I’m following a plan to get as many first tastes into her as possible in the first few weeks,
and when they’re accepted I’ll move onto more interesting mixtures.

I will also offer her finger foods to go with her purées, but I won’t be doing finger foods
alone this time.

If you’re about to wean for the first time my main advice would be – do what feels right to
you. There’s a lot of pressure to sit in one camp or the other but it doesn’t have to be that
way!

Happy weaning

Charlie
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